Keto

Serving

Keto Kid-friendly Quick & easy

Greek Salad

Name: Greek Salad
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Keto
Ingredients: 2 large tomatoes, cut into wedges; 1 cucumber, sliced; 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced; 1/2 cup Kalamata olives; 4 oz feta cheese, cubed or crumbled; 3 tbsp olive oil; 1 tbsp red wine vinegar; 1 tsp dried oregano; salt and pepper to taste

A classic keto Greek salad with crisp cucumber, Kalamata olives, tomatoes, red onion, and feta in a lemon-oregano dressing.

10 minutes

Serves 4

Lunch

5 min prep

8 min cook

Contains common allergens

Dairy

In the app, Listahan checks these against your household automatically.

Good to know

Ready in under 30 minutes

Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: 30-minute meals

Instructions

5 steps

1
Combine the tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and olives in a large bowl.
2
Whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
3
Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss gently to coat.
4
Top with the feta cheese, either left in a block on top Greek-taverna style or crumbled over the salad.
5
Let sit for 5 minutes so the flavors meld, then serve.

Greek Salad — plated and served — Serving moment. How Greek Salad looks plated and ready to eat — a representative photo, not a step in the recipe.

Listahan Family Score™

80/100

Good fit for most families

Allergen-friendly 90

Kid-friendly 85

Weeknight-easy 96

Budget-friendly 72

Great leftovers 56

Pantry-friendly 44

Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.

Nutrition

per serving

110

Calories

6 g

Protein

4 g

Carbs

8 g

Fat

Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.

Listahan cooking guide

Chef notes & practical guide

Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.

Cultural context

The Greek salad, known in Greece as horiatiki (village salad), is not a green salad with dressing — it is a combination of chunked vegetables, whole olives, and a large slab of feta cheese dressed simply with olive oil and dried oregano. It became popular in North America in the 1970s and 1980s, often Americanized with shredded iceberg lettuce and bottled Greek dressing. The authentic version is already naturally keto, gluten-free, and vegetarian, and requires nothing beyond good-quality ingredients and a respectful approach to the original.

Listahan note

This version stays close to the traditional horiatiki — no lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers in large chunks, a full block of feta rather than crumbles, and a simple olive oil and oregano dressing that lets the quality of each ingredient speak.

Technique cues

Cut all the vegetables into large, rustic chunks rather than thin slices — horiatiki is meant to be eaten with a fork, not a spoon, and large pieces have better texture and more presence than a finely diced salad.
Use the best-quality feta you can find, ideally Greek feta made from sheep's milk or a blend with goat's milk; supermarket crumbles are processed and saltier with less of the tangy, creamy flavor that defines the dish.
Dress the salad with olive oil first, then the oregano, then a small pinch of salt — the oil coats the vegetables before the salt draws out their moisture, which means the dressing stays as a coating rather than pooling at the bottom of the bowl.

Kitchen flow

Parallel prep: Cut all vegetables and prepare the dressing simultaneously since no cooking is required; the whole salad assembles in under 10 minutes.
Make-ahead: Cut and refrigerate the vegetables up to one day ahead; add the feta, olives, and dressing only at serving time.
Leftover move: Chop leftover salad finely and serve as a topping for grilled chicken or lamb for a quick Mediterranean-style dinner.
Cleanup rhythm: One cutting board, one bowl, no cooking; the only thing to clean is the knife and the serving bowl.

Ingredient brief

Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.

cucumber

cool crunch

Purpose: Cucumber provides freshness, water content, and a cool counterpoint to the briny feta and olives.

Handling: Cut into thick half-moons or large chunks; no need to peel if using English cucumber.

Adaptation: Persian cucumbers are thin-skinned and have fewer seeds, making them the best option when available.

tomatoes

sweetness and acidity

Purpose: Ripe tomatoes add juiciness, natural sweetness, and the acidity that balances the salt of the feta and olives.

Handling: Core and cut into large wedges rather than slicing; let any cut tomatoes rest cut-side up to reduce weeping.

Adaptation: Cherry tomatoes halved are acceptable and sweeter; heirloom varieties add color variety.

green bell pepper

vegetal crunch

Purpose: Strips of green bell pepper add a slightly bitter, fresh vegetal flavor that is part of the horiatiki identity.

Handling: Cut into thin rings or strips and scatter over the top rather than mixing in, for visual appeal.

Adaptation: Banana peppers add a mild tang; red bell pepper adds sweetness if green is too assertive.

Kalamata olives

briny depth

Purpose: Kalamata olives are the canonical choice for Greek salad — meaty, briny, and rich with a purple-red color that adds visual contrast.

Handling: Use whole or pitted olives and scatter on top; crushing lightly with the side of a knife releases more flavor.

Adaptation: Castelvetrano olives provide a milder, buttery flavor if Kalamata is too intense for some palates.

feta cheese

protein, fat, and salt

Purpose: Feta is not a garnish in this salad — it is a primary ingredient that provides salt, creaminess, and the characteristic tangy bite.

Handling: Place a whole thick slice or large block on top of the salad rather than crumbling it; crumbling is an American adaptation.

Adaptation: Sheep's milk feta is traditionally correct; a good Bulgarian feta is an acceptable alternative.

Technique notes

A very small amount of dried oregano rubbed between your palms before scattering over the salad releases more of its aromatic oils, making the herb fragrance more immediate and vivid.
A drizzle of red wine vinegar in addition to or instead of lemon juice adds the slightly sharp acidity that is characteristic of taverna Greek salads.
Let the assembled salad rest for 5 minutes before serving — the salt draws a small amount of liquid from the vegetables that mingles with the olive oil into a naturally emulsified, incredibly flavorful dressing at the bottom of the bowl.

Ingredient swaps

Lower-sodium direction: Rinse the feta under cold water briefly to remove surface salt, and choose a milder, less-salty feta variety; Kalamata olives can be rinsed as well.
Vegan direction: Replace feta with cubed firm tofu marinated in lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and salt for a tangy, creamy substitute with a similar visual effect.
Protein boost: Add a can of drained tuna or sliced grilled chicken on top to transform the side salad into a complete main course.

Serve alongside

Grilled lamb chops with lemon and herbs
Tzatziki with cucumber dippers
Stuffed grape leaves (dolmades)
Crisp Greek white wine such as Assyrtiko (for adults)
Sparkling water with lemon

Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.

Storage & reheating

Store undressed salad components in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Once dressed, the salad should be eaten within an hour as the vegetables begin to release liquid and the feta softens.

Equipment

Sharp chef's knife and large cutting board
Wide, shallow bowl for attractive presentation of chunked vegetables
Small bowl and whisk for the olive oil dressing

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